This invention relates to a safety device attachable to a printing press or the like, and in particular to a device for catching loose metal articles that can be accidentally dropped or carried into a printing press and damage same.
Modern high speed offset printing presses include multiple printing cylinders adapted to transfer ink images onto sheet stock being fed through the press. The printing presses further include feeding apparatus for automatically feeding the stock into the printing presses. Necessarily, the feeding apparatus includes various adjustable or movable parts so that the feeding apparatus can accept a variety of different sheet sizes and thicknesses, and automatically feed same reliably into the press. These parts include various small metal parts such as nuts, bolts, washers, roller bearings, etc. which over an extended period of time may become loose and accidentally fall into or be carried into the printing press. Also, metal tools such as Allen wrenches and screwdrivers or the like, used for press adjustment and maintenance, may be left in a position where they may fall or be carried into the printing press. While these incidents do not occur often, they are very serious and costly when they do occur. For example, if an undesirable article is carried into contact with one of the printing cylinders, the article can dent or otherwise damage the cylinder, potentially costing $50,000 to $60,000 to repair. Further, since the cylinders are expensive, replacement cylinders are often not kept in-house and the printing press may be down for one or more weeks while waiting for a replacement cylinder. At minimum, the repair may consume a shift or more, even if a replacement cylinder is available. Still further, once damaged, the printing cylinder does not have the quality of a new cylinder.
Therefore, it is desirable to install a device attachable to the press to catch these small articles before they enter the printing press and cause damage.